The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-23
THE WOMEN OF TURKEY.
They Are Neither Sentimental Nor Corrupt
But Overly Fond of Sweets.


They Are Neither Sentimental Nor Corrupt
But Overly Fond of Sweets.
The dress of the women at home is
not very elegant, nor does it fit them
very well. 1t is usually loose gar
ment made of glossy calico in gaudy
cOlors, tied around the waist with a
cloth belt, and wadded and padded in
winter like mattress. Underneath
they wear a kind of wide pantaloon,
fastened at the ankles. On their feet
they wear low shoes without heels or
soles, made of yellow morocco. Their
! headgear consists of a kind of embrol-
dered catotte, around which is wound
strip of very fine muslin, allowing one
to see the embroidery and the color of
the cap. When women belong to
wealthy Turks, their ears, necks and
fingers are loaded with gold jewelry or
precious stones. If their owners are
not very well off, their vanity does not
give up its right, but it has to content
itself with similar jewelry and paste
diamonds. All of them stain their eve
brOws, pO:Tder their face with rice
powder and coat their nails with a red
dish substance, henne, making their
hands look like those of children that
have stuck their fingers into can of
preserves.
Neither the rich nor the poor among
Turkish women own watches; they do
NJ or I'm hax
less, since commerce has been able to
extend its influence to the harems even
clOckmakerS have succeeded within re-
cent years in getting their goods into
the haremliks of few wealthy Pashas.
1t is hardly necessary to say, however,
that the beautiful inmates do not use
them except as playthings.
The dress that the Turkish women
wear when they 90 out is simple, uni
form and absolutely free from caprices
of fashion. Moreover, it is, with very
little change, the same to-day that it
was hundred years ago. 1t consists
of kind of simple cloak, without
tucks, folds or ornaments, and almost
without any other seams than the
hens. This cloak, or teredje, which is
almost always of a light color, falls
like sack from the shoulders to the
ankles, and conceals entirely the
clothing under it. 1t is impossible to
recognize woman in this ungraceful
sheath, which effaces every line.
Their veil, or yacltmak, is made of
two muslin bands more or less thick,
one of which covers the forehead, and
the other the lower and upper part of
the face as far as the eyes. Therefore,
the only part of Turkish woman's
face that can be seen is the pupils of
the eyes, which roll between the two
wells, and which, on this account, ex-
hibit wonderful sweetness or won
derful brilliancy. 1t is noticeable that
the young and pretty inmates of
harems usually wear wells much more
transparent than the ugly and old. l
have myself often admired-but very
discreetly-the marvellous beauty of
these terrestrial hours. The veil,
floating like a thin vapor before their
face, gave them new charm, effacing
all the imperfections Of feature and
color. They smiled behind their white
cloud, with little provoking air, as if
to thank me for my admiration.
The head-dress that the young in
m:tes of the harems wear when they
90 out consists of small light and
graceful cap, which holds the edges of
the veil, and varies but little in form
and color. Here again fashion, which
has not been able to give months
respite to the hats of our Christian
companions, has been as powerless as
elsewhere. The only victory that it
has gained over the toilet of the
Turkish women, pertains to footwear.
There are but few women of the lower
classes that wear yellow Turkish slip
pers on the street. Most of them I'M
prison their little feet in graceful and
quite civilized slippers. and even in
high Partisan shoes with pointed toes
and high heels.
The Turkish woman is neither senti-
mental nor corrupt, neither passionate
nor cold, neither good nor wicked; but
she is gourmand. She is fond of
comtitures, sherbet and
tobacco, which she rolls into
slender cigarettes, and the smoke of |
which she swallows with delight. She !
is inquisitive, indiscreet, greedy for
things that .glitter-rings, necklaces,
bracelets and beads. She is vain, but |
not coquettish. Indeed, of what use
would cOquetry be to her? From the
age of thirteen or fourteen she belongs
to husband, who is her master, or
rather her owner, whom she obeys
passively, whom she fears but does not